Loss to the country, Saddened by the death of Dr Steve Andrews

By moderator

Created 2009/06/30 - 10:49am

30 June, 2009 - 10:49 — moderator

Steve Andrews graduated as a medical doctor at the University of Cape Town, and received postgraduate immunology training at Groote Schuur Hospital. He earned postgraduate qualifications in family medicine through the South African College of Medicine and held a Masters degree in bioethics from the University of Cape Town. He had been working in the HIV field since 1995, involved in the design and implementation of many HIV interventions in the public and private sectors.

He ran a part time private practice focused on the problems of multidrug resistant antiretroviral patients, as well as consulting to various public and private HIV interventions. He was s a senior medical advisor to the Aid for AIDS disease management program, as well as an HIV bioethics consultant. He was also the HIV clinical consultant to the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa, responsible for the design of management standards for HIV at district and Provincial level.

Dr Andrews had been principal investigator on more than 25 phase 2 and phase 3 antiretroviral trials, and is widely published in the field. He was a Senior Medical Advisor to various AIDS interventions including the AID for AIDS program, The Open Society Foundation, The Road Freight Association Roadside Clinic Programme and Médecins Sans Frontières Khayelitsha Antiretroviral Programme.; Country of Residence South Africa.

Dr Steve Andrews was the kind of doctor any person who was ill would like to be seen by: his patients' well-being was paramount, he was committed to the principles of family medicine and he was prepared to take on the world for a cause he believed in. In 2001, Dr Andrews defied the Pfizer patent to dispense the life saving drug Biozole to his patients suffering from suffering from Cryptococcus meningitis and various forms of thrush. He supported TAC defiance campaign to put pressure to Pfizer to drop the price of Fluconazole. He was one of the doctors who received the imported Biozole from Thailand. He was a complainant to the competition commission case by TAC against Glaxo Smith Kline’s high prices that were charged on antiretroviral drugs (ARVs: AZT, 3TC, Combivirâ and Nevirapine). He supported the protest against Bristol Myers Squibb to drop the prices of antiretrovirals and he supported the Beat it ( Siyanqoba) programme .

He worked at the Brooklyn Medical Centre, Cape Town as a doctor to many of TAC comrades to mention but a few Mkhanyiseli, Zackie, Victor and others.

We would to send our condolences to his family, Lala kahle Qabane, Rest in Peace Comrade Steve you will be remembered by your deeds.